Wanted: students for BSc and MSc theses
Our PhD candidates are regularly looking for students to supervise their thesis and support them in their research. Are you studying at WUR or TU Eindhoven and looking for a thesis opportunity at bachelor or master level? We have the assignments below available!
Please note: You need to be enrolled at the institution mentioned to be able to sign up for one of the thesis opportunities.
Agro-ecology
| Topic | Institution | Level | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| From Poop to Prosperity: Using insect frass in a diverse cropping system and its effects on the insect community The aim of this project is to experiment on insect frass/faeces as an organic fertilizer and its affects on the diversity of insects in a diverse cropping system. Two positions are available. | WUR | BSc / MSc | Between June 2024 – November 2025 |
| Improve biocontrol of insects through crop diversification Test the effects of strip cropping on the biological control of several insect pests. | WUR | May – November 2024 | |
| Intercropping increases biocontrol by enhancing honeydew availability and quality Investigate the role of honeydew quality and availability in strip cropping on biocontrol. | WUR | May – November 2024 | |
| Tracking birds to assess the potential of strip cropping You will investigate whether strip cropping benefits field-breeding farmland birds. In strip cropping multiple crops are cultivated in distinct long and narrow strips. Strip cropping can potentially offer many benefits to our threatened farmland birds, as multiple crops are available within a bird’s territory to breed, forage and shelter in. You will track skylarks (Alauda arvensis) and yellow wagtails (Motacilla flava) in and around strip cropping fields by detailed observations of their landscape use during the breeding season, aided by HD cameras at their nests to monitor food supply to the chicks. The field work is thus dynamic, alternating challenging nest searches, camera work, detailed observations through telescopes and insect sampling (if you are interested). Your own questions of interests can be incorporated. The project involves a lot of field work in beautiful agricultural sites from Zeeland to Groningen and collaborating with other bird researchers and enthusiastic pioneering farmers. As birds are unpredictable, flexibility and being able to keep an overview is useful. Being a birder is an advantage (but not essential), since searching nests and tracking birds is challenging (but awesome!). | WUR | March – September 2025 | |
| Winter birds counts in strip cropping You will conduct winter bird counts in strip cropping fields throughout The Netherlands, reference farms without strip cropping and special ‘bird fields’. | WUR | September 2024 – March 2025 | |
| Yield in Strip Cropping In this experimental MSc thesis, you will join our team during harvest days and collect samples for quality analysis. Yield data serves as the foundation, with the opportunity to explore additional measurements and ecosystem services. Strip cropping is an accessible crop diversification practice for framers as strip width can be chosen to fit the working width of available machinery. The large-scale and long-term strip cropping experiments at WUR have shown positive results for biodiversity and pest and disease control. However, what is the effect of strip cropping on yield? Positive effects on yield might be an important incentive for farmers to adopt strip cropping. | WUR | MSc | Starting between June and September 2025 – End date depends on start date |
Economy, logistics and innovation
| Topic | Institution | Level | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utilizing expert knowledge of stakeholder networks You will investigate how we can involve experts to get an overview of the stakeholders involved with technology development for diversified cropping systems. Different technologies might be needed for diversified cropping systems, such as strip cropping, compared to monocultures. We want to get insight into the networks of stakeholders involved in the development of these specific technologies and their role in the transition toward diversification. You will develop an expert workshop based on the scientific literature on social network analysis and stakeholder involvement. Further on, you will test and evaluate the workshop you designed with peers and experts. So, you will apply scientific literature to practice and will give insight into the social networks around agricultural technology development. This thesis project is part of the CropMix programme and is in collaboration with the Agricultural Biosystems Engineering group. Contact Lisa Marijke (lisamarijke.vandenberg@wur.nl) if you are interested in doing your thesis on this topic or if you want more information about the project. | WUR | MSc | From September 2024 |
Institutional change
| Topic | Institution | Level | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social factors of biological pest control We are looking for an enthusiastic master student in the social sciences who is interested in how social factors influence farmers practices in The Netherlands. The project we initiate is a social science project which investigates what factors are important for farmers to use or not use biological pest control instead of chemical pest control. The results of the research will contribute directly to the agroecological transition programme CropMix. The project can start from September 2024. If you are interested or want more information, please contact Inez from the Knowledge, Technology and Innovation group via inez.dekker@wur.nl. | WUR | MSc | From September 2024 |
Interested?
Are you interested or would you like to know more? Send us an email at cropmix@wur.nl.
About CropMix
CropMix is a major transdisciplinary research programme joining forces with the agricultural sector to achieve a breakthrough in the transition to more sustainable, ecology-based arable farming. Agroecological research focuses on the potential of strip cropping for responsible management of pests and diseases and healthy soil. Social science research investigates what social and institutional changes are needed in the food system to enable and accelerate the transition to sustainable and biodiversity-positive crop production. This is done by setting up living labs in which stakeholders and researchers work together.
